Window control device



Feb. 7, 1967 F- WERNER 3,302,335

WINDOW CONTROL DEVICE Filed Aug. 18, 1964 reciprocable. motion have disadvantages in that there is required a guide 'link halt the length of the operating lever and joined ex- United States Patent O Filed Aug. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 390,420 priority, application Germany, Dec. 23, 1963,

s Claims. (l. 49-3so) l Claims This invention relates to a window control device and is particularly applicable to motor vehicles.

According to the invention there is provided a window control device comprising a support carrying a rotatable pinion, a rotary gear or gear segment carried by the support in driven relationship with the pinion, and a lever connected to the gear or gear segment and mounted for rotation and translation relatively to the support, the axis of notation of the lever being fixed relatively to the suppor and one end of the lever being Iadapted for attachment to a window pane or a mounting therefor, the arrangement being such that, when the pinion is turned, the said one end of the lever is moved in a substantially straight line.

It is an advantage for the window pane to be linearly However, known devices to achieve this actly centrally thereto, one end of the lever being guided in a very long couliss-like slot, which makes the device very large in view of the fitting space available for it and involves awkward positioning of the user control. The invention aims to avoid the above mentioned disadvantages using simple means. v

The invention and the method by which it yis to be performed will now be particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a window control device according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows the same device in plan, and

FIG. 3 shows, in greatly simplified form, the various positions adapted by parts of a window control device according to the invention when the device is adjusted.

It should be first mentioned that only those parts of the device which are essential to an understanding of the invention have been included. For example, in FIGS. l to 3, the actuating mechanism has been omitted; it may be operated by la' motor or by hand: the support for the actual window has not been shown, nor has the window itself. All the missing parts maybe of known construction.

The device shown in FIG. l has a base plate 10. The function of this is firstly to fix the device to parts of the body or the like and secondly to support parts of the device. The base plate 10 is shaped substantially -as a non-equilateral triangle, the angles of which differ from one another and are Well rounded. The base plate 10 is stiffened by a peripheral rib 11 spaced from the edge. The plate 10 also contains apertures 12 for fastening to parts of the body or the like.

One of the bearings on the base plate 10 rotatably or pivotally secures a segment 13. Its support, defined generally as 14, is not shown in full detail and may be of yany suitable known construction. What is shown, specifically, is a bearing pin 15 connecting at least the base plate 10 and the guiding segment 13. As shown in FIG. 2, this bearing is also associated with a helical or spiral spring 16, of which one end is fixed to stationary parts of the device and the other end to the bearing pin 15. A bias is imposed on the spring 16 to allow the device to be supported against the load of the window pane to be moved.

The segment 13 has a toothed arcuate edge 17 extending at a constant radial spacing from the bearing 14. The

3,302,335 Patented Feb. 7, 1967 ICC toothed edge 17 engages a pinion 25, and will be described below. The segment 13 is enlarged beyond segment shape in the region of the bearing 14. The enlarged part of the segment is like an elongated rectangle and extends at an angle to the central radius of the segment 13. As shown particularly in FIG. 2, the free edges of both narrow sides ofthe rectangle are angled and extend away from the base plate 10. The angled portion 18 on each side is substantially at right angles to the base surface of the segment 13. Each of the portions 18 contains an enclosed elongated slot 19. The slots 19 are aligned with one another and accommodate parts of an operating lever 20 The lever 20 is of rectangular cross section of substantially the same shape and size as the slots 19. The free end of the lever 20, remote from the base plate 10, contains an aperture 21. This serves as a fastening point for a window or a window support and is then the point of application of lcontrol to the window pane. The opposite end of the lever 20, in the region of the base plate 10, is bent at an angle out of the surface in the direction of the plate 10 and in the region of the angled surface has a bearing pin 22 which provides a joint or connection with another guide link 23 angled in mirror image to the operating lever 20. vThe other end of the guide link 23 is also fixed rotatably to the base plate 10 by a pin 24.

The support for the operating lever 20 is such that when it is rotated about its bearing 14 the point of application to the window pane and thus the window pane itself moves in a straight line. The dimensions of the cross section of lever 20 and of the slots 19 are related to one another s0 as to permit easy operation, that is to say, easy longitudinal displacement of the lever 20. This movement is illustrated `in FIG. 5 of the drawing in a diagram showing the various phase of movement and will be further explained when that figure is described.

FIG. 1 shows the device in a starting position. This is Ithe position in which the window is raised. In order to llower the window it is necessary to lower the point of application thereof, the aperture 21. To achieve a lowering movement the lever 20 must be rotated clockwise about its bearing 14; this is done by rotating the segment 13 in the same rotary direction. The guide link 23 is provided t0 obtain the desired straight movement of the window when the lever 20 is moved. When the lever 20 moves to the left (clockwise) as mentioned, the guide link 23 will of necessity be pivoted in the same direction. The link 23 `constrains the lever 20 to move longitudinally.

In order to make the point 21 of application of the window pane move along a straight line, the length of the raising lever 20, the length of the guide rod 23 and the distance between the bear-ing 14 and that of the pin 24 are adjusted to one another. These values always have a specific relationship with one another and can be determined by drawing or calculation.

As already mentioned, the segment 13 is moved by means of its toothed edge 17 which extends at a constant radius from the bearing 14 and which is in engagement with the aforementioned pinion 25. The pinion 25 is associated with a shaft 26 which is rotatably supported by a bearing 27. The bearing 27 is fixed to the base plate 10 and may in known manner contain a friction clutch. The free end of the shaft 26 has any circumferential shape adapted to support a drive member such as a crank handle and to prevent rotation therebetween.

FIG. 3 of the drawing is a movement diagram showing the various possible positions of the operating lever 20 and guide link 23 of the embodiments of the device of FIGS. l and 2. 14 is the bearing point. FIG. 3 contains both heavy and fine lines. The ne lines indicate the movement made by the lever 20 when it is only rotated about the bearing point 14. In this case the point of application 21 f the lever 20 would traverse an arc B. The arc belongs to a circle having its centre at the bearing point 14 and having the longer portion of the operating lever as its radius. Clearly, if the lever 20 merely rotates, the desired straight movement of the point of application 21 of the window pane will not be possible. Straight movement of the point of application 21 of the window pane is indicated by a chord A in FIG. 3. If this straight displacement of the window pane is to be obtained, a longitudinal movement must be superimposed on the rotary movement of the raising lever. This rotary and longitudinal movement of the lever 20 is shown by heavy lines in FIG. 3. The movement of the guide link 23 is also illustrated therein. To ensure that the diagram is interpreted correctly it should be pointed out that the maximum spacing between the chord A and the arc B is shown at S. The lever 20 is moved longitudinally by the amount S in order to bring the point of application 21 from the arc B to the chord A. In the other positions, shown therebelow, the lever 20 is also moved longitudinally, but the distance between the arc B and the chord A becomes smaller and smaller until it linally reaches a value of zero in the lowest position shown. This shows that, with a window control device according to the invention, the point of application 21 and thus the window pane in fact move up and down in a straight line, the point of application 21 moving along the chord A.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 3, i.e. when the guide member is articulated to the base plate, it will be seen that at one extremity of movement of the operating lever, the point of `articulation between the operating lever and the guide member, the point of articulation between the guide member and the base plate, the bearing for the operating lever and the point at which the operating lever is applied to the window pane are collinear.

It has already been mentioned that the operating lever moves in a straight line, and this movement must be such that the window pane can be moved up and down in a straight line. It should be noted at this point that the maximum distance of the longitudinal displacement is determined by the spacing between the arc dawn about the center of the support for the operating lever and the chord identical with the straight upward and downward movement of the point of application of the window pane.

So far it has been assumed that either a guide rod or parts of the segment are required to make the operating lever move in a straight line in this way. However, the required longitudinal movement can also be obtained, within the scope of the invention, by dispensing with the special guide link and by providing the operating lever with a pin engaging in a stationary curved forced path. It is desirable for the pin to be provided on the operating lever between its support or bearing and the point at which the window pane is applied to it.

What we claim is:

1. A window control device comprising, in combination, a support; an elongated member adapted to be connected at one end thereof to a fixed point of a window to be controlled by the device; guide means mounted on said support for pivotal movement about a fixed pivot axis and supporting said member for rectinlinear reciprocating movement in direction of the elongation of said member and for pivotal movement with said guide means; a guide link pivotally connected at one end thereof to `said support spaced from said pivot axis and at the other end thereof pivotally connected to the other end of said member; and means connected to said guide means for turning the latter about said pivot axis, said guide link and said guide means being constructed and connected to said support and said member so that said one end of said lever will, during turning of said guide means, move along a straight line.

2. A window control device las set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for turning said guide means comprise a pinion turnably mounted on said support, and a gear segment meshing with said pinion and fixed to said guide means for turning the latter about said pivot axis during turning of said pinion.

3. A window control device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said guide means comprises a plate-shaped member having a pair of spaced, oppositely arranged portions extending substantially normal to the plane of said plateshaped member and being respectively formed with a slot therethrough, said elongated member being guided in said slots for reciprocating movement.

4. A window control device as set forth in claim 3, wherein said gear segment is arranged in one plane with said plate-shaped member and projects integral therewith to one side thereof.

5. A window control device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pivot axis is located on a line passing through the point of attachment of said one end of said elongated member to the window and the axis of the pivotal connection of the other end of said elongated member to said guide means.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 250,179 8/ 1926 Great Britain. 251,939 7/1926 Great Britain. 264,034 1/ 1927 Great Britain. 282,472 7/ 1928 Great Britain.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

J. K. BELL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A WINDOW CONTROL DEVICE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A SUPPORT; AN ELONGATED MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED AT ONE END THEREOF TO A FIXED POINT OF A WINDOW TO BE CONTROLLED BY THE DEVICE; GUIDE MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A FIXED PIVOT AXIS AND SUPPORTING SAID MEMBER FOR RECTINLINEAR RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT IN DIRECTION OF THE ELONGATION OF SAID MEMBER AND FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT WITH SAID GUIDE MEANS; A GUIDE LINK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ONE END THEREOF TO SAID SUPPORT SPACED FROM SAID PIVOT AXIS AND AT THE OTHER END THEREOF PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE OTHER END THEREOF MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID GUIDE MEANS FOR TURNING THE LATTER ABOUT SAID PIVOT AXIS, SAID GUIDE LINK AND SAID GUIDE MEANS BEING CONSTRUCTED AND CONNECTED TO SAID SUPPORT AND SAID MEMBER SO THAT SAID ONE END OF SAID LEVER WILL, DURING TURNING OF SAID GUIDE MEANS, MOVE ALONG A STRAIGHT LINE. 